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Re: What's your new fiddle tune?

Hope has her new tune of the month up - and its a beauty. I heard this at several OT jams last few festivals, sucked it all up with my digital recorder and saved it off on my lap top to learn it later. I think I will bump it up in priority.

Re: What's your new fiddle tune?

I was told at a jam last weekend that nobody wants to hear fiddle tunes. Oh well... that's not going to stop me from playing them!

I don't know Salt Creek or Bill Cheatum, which seem to come up quite a bit so I want to learn them (started Salt Creek on the fiddle last night). I also need to learn Drowsy Maggie since every time I mention Irish/Celtic to non-Celtic players they seem to know that (it's harder to find someone to jam on The Kid On The Mountain or Atholl Highlanders).

I've also been constantly reworking Whiskey Before Breakfast... I've been playing it for years but I keep coming up with new ideas. I wish I were playing enough to be learning even 1 or 2 new tunes a month. When I do play it seems I spend quite a bit of time resurrecting tunes I used to be able to play at speed.

pd

"... beauty is not found in the excessive but what is lean and spare and subtle" - Terry Tempest Williams

Re: What's your new fiddle tune?

Originally Posted by (PaulD @ Sep. 03 2008, 08:38)

I was told at a jam last weekend that nobody wants to hear fiddle tunes. Oh well... that's not going to stop me from playing them!

I think there are folks who think that. But even the general public, when I out with a nice tune, responds with enthusiasm. Perhaps the truth is, nobody wants to hear a boring fiddle tune. But a good tune, with its own melodic drama, a little tension, a little resolution, who can resist?

We played Spotted Pony the other day, and it was shock and awe at the coffeehouse. We were hot. We committed spontaneous harmony. We played just that tune, for what seemed like an eon - we had the audience hypnotized.

But then again, Spotted Pony is a great tune. My new obsession. A tune I can immediately get a lot of energy behind. I think when a tune by itself seems to energize the musicians, the audience (or in our case bystanders) can't help but love it.

Re: What's your new fiddle tune?

I was told at a jam last weekend that nobody wants to hear fiddle tunes. Oh well... that's not going to stop me from playing them!

I think there are folks who think that. But even the general public, when I out with a nice tune, responds with enthusiasm.

I agree... I think the statement was actually being quoted as coming from another guy who's a decent guitar picker but prefers Bluegrass and old Grateful Dead songs. I think if you're putting together a set it's good to mix it up... songs, fast tunes, slow tunes, tunes with different timing, etc.

I'll have to add Spotted Pony to my list of things to learn. I think I've got recordings of it, but I don't recall hearing it at local jams. Last night I worked on Langstrom's Pony a little bit (a jig in 4 parts) and then spent the rest of the evening trying to be disciplined and do FFcP exercises. So much for working on the jam tunes I listed above!

Paul

"... beauty is not found in the excessive but what is lean and spare and subtle" - Terry Tempest Williams

Re: What's your new fiddle tune?

[QUOTE= (JeffD @ Sep. 04 2008, 09:30)]

Originally Posted by PaulD,Sep. 03 2008, 08:38

But then again, Spotted Pony is a great tune. My new obsession. A tune I can immediately get a lot of energy behind. I think when a tune by itself seems to energize the musicians, the audience (or in our case bystanders) can't help but love it.

There's an interesting little twist I like to throw into "Spotted Pony". #I learned it a couple of years ago from one of the local fiddlers.

In the A part (or B part in some regions), there's a scale progression D-E-F#-G (0-2-4-5 on the D string). #Every once in a while, I'll play D-C#-C-B (5-4-3-2 on the A string) instead. #It adds an interesting contrast to the tune, and sounds pretty good with everyone else playing the "normal" way.

Re: What's your new fiddle tune?

Originally Posted by (Joe F @ Sep. 04 2008, 15:36)

In the A part (or B part in some regions), there's a scale progression D-E-F#-G (0-2-4-5 on the D string). #Every once in a while, I'll play D-C#-C-B (5-4-3-2 on the A string) instead. #It adds an interesting contrast to the tune, and sounds pretty good with everyone else playing the "normal" way.

Woo hoo! I just tried it and I like it.

I like tunes that are deceptively simple. They are like elegent line drawings or charicatures, where a couple of lines and squiggles evoke a whole picture.

Re: What's your new fiddle tune?

OP here, just wanting to thank all the posters to this thread for all the great tune suggestions. I may never have tried Spotted Pony or The Cuckoos' Nest without your tips, and that surely would have been my loss. Thanks. I'm a goin to Winfield next week to hang with the dulcimer crowd and try out my new licks.

Re: What's your new fiddle tune?

If fiddle rags is your thing, I can highly recommend The Old 78s. They are recording some very obscure and wonderful stuff these days and it is not your run-of-the-mill fiddle music. Usually just Curly on the fiddle and Carole Ann on a Baritone banjo that appears to have too many strings. I heard that they about wore the legs off of the contra crowd a week or so ago in Mtn View Ar. NFI. Visit them on the web. Carole Ann asked me my name on Thursday nite at Winfield and saw me on Saturday, ran me down, called me by name, and gave me a button/badge thingy. Really, really nice people with huge talent. Some of you must have been out in Oxford and learned some new tunes. Titles folks, give me titles!

Re: What's your new fiddle tune?

I learned The Fun's All Over thanks to Jim Richter too. That's a great tune and Climbing the Walls should be required listening for any Compton fan.
Old Ebeneezer Scrooge is one of my favorite Monroe tunes. That fourth part really gives the pinky a workout!